Golfer&#39;s putter



J1me 1943- R. RUEMELIN 2,321,773

GOLFER S PUTTER File d NOV. 13, 1941 ATTORNE-Y.

Patented June 15, 1943 UNETED STATUS PA'EENT QFFICE GOLFERS PUTTERRichard Etucrnelin, Milwaukee, Wis.

Application November 13, 1941, Serial No. 418,923

Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in golfers putters.

In using the conventional putter the golfer usually has the golf handleextending diagonally across the palm of both hands with all of the.fingers wrapped around the handle and with the thumbs on the top of theshaft. The club is thus gripped quite tightly and wrist action is reliedupon in making the putting stroke. This is objectionable because arolling wrist action tends to cause pulling of the club head in an areso that the ball is cut or steered out of a straightline course. As aresult many a putt is missed, including relatively short easy putts,merely because the player did not overcome the quite natural tendency toroll the wrists.

It is a principal object of the present invention to overcome thisobjectionable feature of the standard putter by providing a novel formof grip which so cooperates with the design of the club as to providefor a true pendulum swing and practically eliminate the possibility of arolling wrist action interfering with the accuracy of the stroke.

It is recognized that golf clubs have heretofore been proposed wherein asphere is attached to the extreme upper end of the handle in an effortto provide a fulcrum for a pendulum swing. In this type of club,however, the left hand cooperates with the sphere and the right handgrips a conventional leather-wrapped handle portion in the conventionalmanner, Thus the right hand which does the pushing and guiding will havethe before-mentioned tendency to pull the club through an arc, becauseof a rolling wrist action, and this tendencywill be just as marked as ina standard type of putter. This is particularly true because in the clubjust described the shaft extends at an oblique angle from the playertoward the club head when the head is grounded.

It is a further object of the present invention, therefore, to provide aputter' having a novel handle wherein there is a flattened areainsertable between fingers of both hands, whereby the possibility ofimproper action on the part of the right hand and wrist is greatlyminimized because a simple wrist flex instead of a roll is insured.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a golfers putterhaving at least one transverse laterally projecting gripping projectionfor the right hand directly above a flattened area, and preferably aplurality of such gripping members which may, in the preferredembodiment, be circular in cross-section and spaced longitudinally fromeach other on the handle portion.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction as abovedescribed wherein the handle is flattened below each gripping member sothat the flattened portions may be inserted between the first and secondfingers of the hands, with the gripping members seated in the curve ofsaid fingers. Thus the upper gripping member forms an oscillating pivotfor a pendulum swing with the curved fingers as a bearing therefor, andthe lower gripping member together With the flat handle portiontherebelow causes the fingers of the right hand to point directly towardthe intended line of the putt to normally and in a quite natural mannerguide and push the club along said line.

A further object of the invention is to provide a putter as abovedescribed wherein there may be more than two transverse grippingmembers. Thus any pair may be selectively employed for a particularputt, depending upon the length of the putt and the inclination of theplayer.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a construction asabove described wherein the entire upper shaft portion ma be offlattened form with the gripping members adjustable thereon so that saidmembers may be moved topositions best suitedto the particular player,with a flat portion always below each'gri ping member.

A furtherobject of the invention is to provide a putterhaving noveltransverse gripping means for both hands wherein the shaft issubstantially perpendicular to .the head, thus making it easy for theplayer to standwell over the ball and to execute a true pendulum stroke.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of theimproved golfers putter and all its parts and combinations as set forthin the claims, and all equivalents thereof.

In the'accompanyingdrawing illustrating one complete embodiment of thepreferred form of the invention. in which the same reference numeralsdesignate the same parts, in all of the views,

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of the putter, showing one method ofgrasping the putter as it would appear to one facing the player; 4 I

Fig. 2 is an enlarged rear elevational view of the putter alone; i

Fi 3 is an enlarged view of the putter, loolgling in the samedirectionas Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectiona view taken on line l4 of Fig.3; and

Fig. is anenlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig.3; and

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of a modification looking in the samedirection as Fig. 2 and showing the upper half of the shaft only.

Referring more particularly. to the drawing, the numeral 8 designatesthe shaft, and the numeral 9 the head. The shaft is preferably formed oftubular metal with the upper portion I0, which may be generally referredto as the handle portion, flattened as illustrated. The flattenedportion preferably extends from the extreme upper end of the club to thepoint I0. It is also preferred, in order to strengthen the flattenedportion, to insert therein a filler II of wood, plastic, or any othersuitable material, as illustrated in Fig. 5.

In order to best adapt the club for the novel type of grip and swing, itis preferred to have the shaft portion 8 form a right angle with thelower edge II of the head, as shown in Fig. 2. It is also preferred tohave the upper edge I2 of the head substantially parallel with the loweredge II. The striking face I3 of the head may be slightly inclined, asillustrated in Figs. 1 and 3. In addition it is preferred to have therear of the head weighted by means of extra thickness, as at I4, withsaid extra thickness preferably cut away near the bottom of the headbelow the lower end of the shaft 8, as at I 5.

Cooperable with th handle is at least one ripping projection. Where onlyone is used it is positioned relatively low on the handle forcooperation with the lower or right hand. In the preferred embodiment ofthe invention illustrated, three longitudinall spaced transversegripping members IS, IT, and I8 are employed. The gripping membersproject laterally from both sides of the handle and are preferablycircular in cross-section so as to seat in the curve of the fingers inthe manner illustrated in Fig. 1.

Each gripping member may be identical in construction and preferablycomprises two complementary half sections I9 and which are grooved onthe inner faces, as at 2I and 22. The transverse gripping members may beformed of metal, wood, rubber, plastic, or any suitable material. Whenthe two half sections I9 and 20 are placed on opposite sides of theflattened handle ID, the grooves 2I and 22 cooperate to form a slot of asize and shape to receive the flattened handle. The two half sectionsmay be held in position on the handle by means of a nut 23 and bolt 24extending through the section I9, through the flattened handle andfiller II, and through the section 20.

If the transverse gripping members are to be permanently secured inposition, as in the modification of Fig. 6 (reference numerals 35) theremust be a flat handle area 36 (Fig. 6) below each gripping member forinsertion between the first and second fingers. It is preferred,however, to have the entire handle portion I0 flattened, as heretoforedescribed and illustrated, so that the gripping members may beadjustably secured in position. Accordingly a set of bolt holes isprovided for the uppermost gripping member I6, a set of bolt holes 26 iprovided for th intermediate gripping member I'I, and a set of boltholes 21 is provided for the lowermost gripping member I8. With thisarrangement the bolt 24 may be removed and re-inserted in a selectedhole to vary the position of longitudinal adjustment of any of thegripping means I6, II, or I8 to best suit the requirements of theparticular player.

In using the club, most players will prefer for a long putt to have theleft hand engage the uppermost gripping member l6 and the right handengage the intermediate gripping member I1; for a shorter putt the righthand may instead be engaged with the lowermost gripping member I8, asillustrated in Fig. 1. In addition, for short putts many players willprefer tohave the left hand engage the intermediate gripping member I!and the right hand the bottom gripping member I8.

In making the putting stroke the flattened handle portion I0 is insertedbetween the first and second fingers 28 and 29 of the left hand, andbetween the first and second fingers 30 and 3I of the right hand. Thegripping member IE or I! which cooperates with the left hand will forman oscillating pivot in the curve of the fingers 2B and 29, and thiswill constitute the fulcrum for a pendulum swing. However, the grippingmember for the upper or left hand may be omitted because the flattenedarea with its edge in the direction of the line of putt will pivot in astraight direction between the fingers. Due to the fact that the shaft 8is perpendicular to the head 9, as shown in Fig. 2, the player can standwell over the ball. With the right hand in the position shown, thehandle does not extend diagonally across the palm of the hand in thetight grip of the fingers, as is standard practice. This standardpractice is objectionable because it encourages a rolling of the wristand causes the right hand to pull the club in an arc across the ball.With the present invention the fingers 30 and 3I point toward theintended line of the putt, and the club is quite naturally pushed andguided directly along the line of the putt by the right hand, as aresult of a simple wrist flex as shown in dotted lines of Fig. 1, whilethe club is swinging like a pendulum with the fulcrum of the pendulum inthe left hand.

This gripping arrangement practically eliminates the tendency to rollthe wrist and greatly increases the accuracy of the stroke.

The gripping members I6, I1, and I8 may be integral enlargements orshoulders on the handle as in Fig. 6, or may have a specific formdifferent from that illustrated as long as the particular shape rests inthe curve of the fingers when the club is gripped in the manner shown inFig. 1, and the most important single feature of the invention is theuse of flat areas extending in the direction of the putt for insertionbetween fingers of both hands.

Various other changes and modifications may b made without departingfrom the spirit of the invention, and all of such changes arecontemplated as may come within the scope of the claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a golfers putter having a shaft with a head connected to the lowerend thereof, a handle portion at th upper end of said shaft, a grippingmember which is circular in cross-section extending transversely of thehandle portion, there being a flattened area below said gripping memberand extending transversely of the gripping member and transversely ofthe club head, said flattened area being insertable between two fingersof one hand of the player with the gripping member seated in the curveof said fingers to rock therein and the flattened area beingsufliciently thin to swing between said fingers without wedging whilethe gripping member is rocking, said handle also having acorrespondingly extending flattened area spaced below said firstflattened area and insertable between the fingers of the other hand ofthe player, and a gripping member which is circular in cross-section tofit in the curve of the fingers of said other hand immediately abovesaid second flattened area and spaced below said first flattened area.

2. In a golfers putter having a shaft with a head connected to the lowerend thereof, a

a gripping member on said handle comprising two complementary partspositioned on opposite sides of the handle and projecting transverselytherefrom, and means extending transversely through said parts andthrough a selected perforation in the handle for securing the grippingmember in a desired position of longitudinal adjustment.

4. In a golfers putter having a shaft with a head connected to the lowerend thereof, a flattened handle portion at the upper end of said shafthaving a plurality of perforations therein, and a gripping member onsaid handle comprising two complementary parts positioned on oppositesides of the handle and projecting transversely therefrom, and meansextending transversely through said parts and through a selectedperforation in the handle for securing the gripping member in a desiredposition of longitudinal adjustment.

5. In a golfers putter having a shaft with a head connected to the lowerend thereof, a flattened handle portion at the upper end of said shafthaving a plurality of sets of perforations therein, and a transverselyextending gripping member for each set of perforations, each grippingmember having means cooperable with a selected perforation of the setfor adjustably securing the same in position.

6. In a golfers putter having a shaft with a head connected to the lowerend thereof, a flattened handle portion at the upper end of said shafthaving a plurality of sets of perforations therein, and a grippingmember for each set of perforations having an opening therethroughthrough which the flattened portion of the handle extends, with thegripping member projecting transversely in opposite directions from thehandle, and a bolt extending through each gripping member and cooperablewith a selected perforation to secure the gripping member in a selectedposition.

'7. In a golfers putter having a shaft with a head connected to thelower end thereof, a handle, portion which is flattened for insertionbetween the index and second fingers of the user at the upper end ofsaid shaft, and a plurality of transversely projecting gripping membersconnected in longitudinally spaced relation to said flattened handle, atleast one of said gripping members being longitudinally adjustable onthe flattened handle whereby there is a flat area for insertion betweenthe fingers below said gripping member in any one of a plurality ofadjusted positions.

8. In a golfers putter having a shaft with a head connected to the lowerend thereof, a handle portion at the upper end of said shaft, saidhandlehaving flattened areas extending in a direction transversely of the clubhead, one of said flattened areas being insertable between the index andsecond finger of one hand of the player, and the other flattened areabeing insertable between the index and second finger of the other handof the player, and a projection on said handle directly above eachflattened area adapted to engage the curve of the fingers of both hands,the flattened area for the uppermost hand being sufficiently thin toswing between the fingers during use of the club.

9. In a golfers putter having a shaft with a head connected to the lowerend thereof, a flattened handle portion at the upper end of said shafthaving a plurality of perforations therein and a gripping member on saidhandle including portions projecting transversely from opposite sides ofsaid handle, and means extending transversely through said grippingmember and cooperable with a selected perforation in the handle forsecuring the gripping member in a desired position of longitudinaladjustment.

10. In a golfers putter having a shaft with a head connected to thelower end thereof, a flattened handle portion at the upper end of saidshaft having a plurality of perforations therein extendinglongitudinally of the handle portion, and a transversely extendinggripping member having means cooperable with a selected perforation foradjustably securing the gripping member in position.

RICHARD RUEMELIN.

